Senior Open Innovation Program Manager at Commonwealth Fusion Systems in Devens, MA

Job description

About Commonwealth Fusion Systems: Commonwealth Fusion Systems is on a mission to deliver the urgent transition to fusion energy. Combining decades of research, top talent, and new technologies, we’re designing and building commercially viable fusion power plants. And we're working with policymakers, suppliers, and many others to build the energy industry of the future. We’re in the best position to make it happen. Since 2018, we’ve raised $4 billion of capital, making us the largest and leading fusion company in the world. Now we’re looking for more thinkers, doers, builders, and makers to join us. People who’ll bring new perspectives, solve tough problems, and thrive as part of a team. If that’s you and this role fits, we want to hear from you. Join the power movement as Senior Strategic Program Manager, Open Innovation A high-agency, operational leader who bridges external partners and funding agencies with internal R&D, legal, and financial teams, to drive program execution. In this role, you will take ownership of the federal award program lifecycle after technical scoping. This includes preparing submission documents, leading contract negotiations (Statements of Work, terms and conditions, sub-award structures, and amendments), establishing operational governance, managing high-level schedules in coordination with the R&D Program Leads and Technical Program Managers, coordinating project accounting with Finance, and delivering flawless program execution from contract execution to final closeout. What you'll do: Lead Contract & Agreement Negotiations: Take direct ownership of contract negotiations for key government-funded programs Work with CFS’ Legal, Procurement, and Global Affairs teams to draft, negotiate, and finalize Government Agreements, Statements of Work (SOWs), required contractual plans, sub-awards, and collaborator contracts Drive Flawless Program Execution & Schedule Discipline: Own the end-to-end operational execution of complex multi-partner programs Maintain master schedules, establish critical-path program management milestones, track progress against commitments, and resolve operational friction before it impacts timelines Manage Contractual Change Control & Compliance: Coordinate with Legal and R&D teams to process post-award scope adjustments, Statement of Work (SOW) amendments, budget realignments, and performance modifications Translate federal (FAR/DEAR) and institutional compliance requirements into clear operational guidance and processes for execution teams Partner with Finance on Budget & Sub-Recipient Operations: Collaborate closely with Project Accounting to monitor program burn rates, track company cost-share/matching funds, review and approve sub-recipient invoices, and prepare audit-ready documentation for financial reviews Unite Cross-Functional Leads & External Partners: Act as the operational nexus for federally funded programs, connecting R&D Technical PMs, Legal, Finance, Supply Chain, and external program officers (e.g., DOE, National Labs, Universities) Facilitate seamless handoffs from technical scoping to formal contract execution Lead Partner Communication & Executive Governance: Organize executive progress updates and site visits as required for successful execution of federally funded programs Produce clear, actionable reporting dashboards for CFS leadership and external sponsors and partners What we're looking for: Required Education & Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Public Administration, Law/Contracts, or a related field At least 7+ years of experience leading program execution and contract negotiations for complex, multi-stakeholder technical programs ($10M+/year) Proven track record negotiating SOWs, university sub-awards, or government grants/contracts with clear ownership of contract execution Demonstrated experience coordinating project accounting, milestone tracking, and cross-functional teams (Legal, Finance, Engineering, R&D Flawless Executio